Niger Confirms Abduction Of Students, Staff At Catholic School, Blames School

The Niger State Government has confirmed the abduction of students and staff of Saint Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, during a night raid by bandits on Friday.

The attackers reportedly stormed the school premises between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., whisking away an unknown number of students and staff.

Earlier, the Head of Department for Disaster and Relief in Agwara LGA, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, confirmed the incident in a telephone conversation but refrained from providing further details.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, revealed that the school had reopened in defiance of a government directive mandating the closure of all boarding schools in the area.

Usman said the directive was issued after credible intelligence suggested heightened risk of attacks by armed groups operating around the border communities.

The state government said efforts are already underway to ascertain the number of abducted persons and mobilise security agencies for a coordinated rescue operation.

Residents of Papiri and neighbouring communities have been thrown into fear following the attack, which comes amid rising insecurity in the North-Central region.

The abduction in Niger State follows similar incidents in Kebbi and Kwara this week, heightening national concern over the safety of schools despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive for security agencies to prioritise protection of educational institutions.

The statement reads, “The Niger state government has received with deep sadness the disturbing news of the kidnapping of pupils from St. Mary’s School in Agwara Local Government Area. The exact number of abducted pupils is yet to be confirmed as security agencies continue to assess the situation.

“The state received prior intelligence report indicating an increased threat level in parts of the northern senatorial district.

“In response to these credible security alerts, the State Government had earlier issued a clear directive suspending all construction activities and ordering the temporary closure of all boarding schools within the affected zone as a precautionary measure.

“St. Mary’s School, however, proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the state.

“Security agencies have since commenced a full-scale investigation and search-and-rescue operations to ensure the safe return of the pupils.

“The Niger State Government is in close communication with all relevant security formations and will provide continuous updates as more information becomes available.

“The Government urges school proprietors, community leaders, and all stakeholders to adhere strictly to security advisories issued in the interest of public safety. The protection of lives, especially those of our children, remains the utmost priority of this administration.”